Machine for producing spaced groups of tufts on fabric



Jan. 4, 193.8. R. H. BRADWELL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING S-PACED GROUPS OF TUFTS ON FABRIC Filed June 3,y 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 4, 1938. R H 'BRADWELL 2,104,634

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPACEJD GROUPS OF TUFTS ON FABRIC Filed June 3, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Robert HrczdM/ell @www `Fan. 4, 1938. R. H. BRADWELL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SPACED GROUPS OF TUFTS ON FABRIC v Filed June 3, 1936 3 SheetS--Sheeil 3 PO erf raclwell l end of the yarn pulled Patented Jan. 4, 1938 Mac GROUPS or 'rUF'rs oN FABRIC Robertli. Bradwell, Sumter, S.

Polly Prentiss, Inc., Sumter,

FOR PRODUCING SPACED C., assignor to S. C., a. corporation of South Carolina Application .nine 3, 1936, serial No. 83,400

11 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine for producing spaced groups of tufts on fabric.

An important object of the invention is to provide a machine of the -above mentioned character which will form the spaced groups of tufts without producing connecting loops between them.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for producing the spaced groups of tufts, the tufts in the groups being substantially uniform in length, thereby eliminating the necessity of cutting or trimming the tufts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character which will operate continuously and is wholly automatic in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the follow- -ing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same with the head plate removed,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the operating parts of the machine,

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the hook and associated elements,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the needle showing the same in the raised starting position,

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the needle moved to the lowermost position on the down stroke,

Figure 7 isa similar view showing the hook engaging within the loop before the needle starts on the up stroke, with the free end of theyarn held in the fabric, Figure 8 shows the needle in theelevated position at the completion of its cycle, with the free from the fabric, Figure 9 isa similar view showing the needle onthe'down stroke. to produce the next loop,

' e 10 shows the hook engaging within the y loop and the needle returning to the upper position,

,y Figure 11 shows the needle in the elevated posi- .tion at the end of the second cycle with the loop on the rear end of the hook, but not cut,

Figure 12 shows a plurality ofV formed loops, with the needle in the raised position,'all of the loops being cut except the last loop,

Figure 13 shows the needle locked in the raised position and the work fed forward for one stitch so that the last loop is cut,

Figure 14 shows the work fed for another stitch and the cut yarn from the needle being withdrawn from the fabric by the feeding action of the fabric, and

Figure 15 is a perspective view' of the fabric and spaced groups of tufts.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral designates a sewing machine, as a whole, of any well known or l preferred type, such as ing machine, as shownrin my Patent 2,038,923. This sewing machine comprises a stock 2l, an arm 22, and a head 23. The usual head plate 23 has been removed in Figure 2. 'I'he stock 2i is mounted upon the flat base 24. The head 23 is provided with the usual vertical reciprocating needle bar 25, carrying a needle 26, which is rigidly clamped thereto, for permanent movement therewith. This needle has the usual eye for receiving the tufting thread or yarn 21. This tufting thread is passed through guides 28 and a tension device 29. The tension device is so adjusted that it is loose and will oer no tension or resistance upon the thread, but simply serves as a guide. The tufting thread or yarn is fed from the usual cone spool. In the present invention, the machine embodies the usual driving shaft 30, driven by a grooved pulley 3|, or the like. At its forward end, the driving shaft 30 is provided with a crank-disk. 32 rigidly secured thereto, and having pivotal connection with a link 33. This link 33 is pivotally connected with a sleeve 34. The sleeve 34 is part of the original sewing machine and on the original sewing machine, this sleeve is clamped to the needle bar 25, to reciprocate it, by means of a set screw. In accordance with my invention this set screw is removed and the sleeve 34 is therefore slidably mounted upon the needle bar 25. This sleeve is capable of raising the needle bar, but the needle bar may be held in the raised position when the sleeve 34 is lowered, as will be explained. Arranged above the sleeve 34 is a ring 35, rigidly clamped to the needle bar 25, and

the ordinary Singer sewthis ring is engaged by a compressible coil spring foot 38, carried by a reciprocating presser bar dogs 4|, operating through a suitable opening in the base plate 24, and these dogs are rigidly mounted upon a rigid dog support link or bar 42. At one end, the link 42 is rigidly connected with a head 43, pivotally connected at 44 with generally vertical cranks 45, in turn rigidly mounted upon a rock shaft 46 extending longitudinally of and beneath the base 24, and held by suitable stationary bearings. At its opposite end, the link 42 is provided with a fork 41, receiving a roller 48, pivotally mounted upon a generally horizontal crank 48, in turn rigidly mountd upon a rock shaft 56. 'I'his rock shaft is arranged beneath the base 24 and extends longitudinally thereof in spaced parallel relation to the rock shaft 46, and is supported by stationary bearings. These rock shafts are driven, from the driving shaft 36, as is well known in the art. The arrangement of the rock shafts 43 and 56 correspond to the arrangement of the rock shafts 21 and 33, in myv said Patent 2,038,923. It might Abe stated at this point that the movement of the rock shaft 46 moves the dog carrying link 42 longitudinally, while the movement of the rock shaft 56 serves to raise and lower this link. When the link 42 is moved longitudinally in a forward feeding direction, the crank 49 raises the same to feed the fabric and when the link 42 is moved rearwardly in a longitudinal direction, the crank 48 lowers the link 42, thus releasing the Work so that it is held in the new position by the presser foot. The foregoing description of the feeding mechanism is that of the ordinary sewing machine, such as the Singer sewing machine, shown in my Patent 2,038,923.

Means are provided to hold or lock the needle bar in the raised position, comprising a horizontal shaft 5|, one end of which is journalled in a stationary bearing 52 and its opposite end in a bearing 53, carried by a stationary arm 54.

This stationary arm has an opening formed in its lower end to receive the exterior of a bearing element 55, and the arm is clamped to this bearing element by a set screw 56, or the like. The driving shaft 36 is equipped with a small gear or pinion 51, rigidly mounted thereon, engaging a larger gear 58, in turn rotatably mounted upon a stub shaft 59, supported by the arm 54. Preferably formed integral with the large gear 58, for rotation therewith, is a small gear 66, engaging a larger gear 6|, rigidly mounted upon the shaft 5|. The gear ratio between the shafts 30 and 5| is preferably such that the shaft 5| is turned for one complete revolution when the shaft 30 has made fourteen complete revolutions. Of course the invention is not necessarily restricted to this gear ratio. Rigidly connected with the forward end of the shaft 5| is a mutilated disk or element 62, which has a circularly curved edge 63, extending throughout 9/14 of the circle, the cut away portion representing the remaining 5/ 14 portion of the complete circle. The circularly curved portion 63 extends from the point 64 to the point 65. The disk 63 includes a hook portion 66, having a generally circumferentially extending recess 64'. From the point 64, the disk 62 has a straight generally radial shoulder 61. Adapted until the point 65 picks up the roller 68.

to coact with the disk 62 is a roller 68, rotatably mounted upon a block 68, which is rigidly clamped to the upper portion of the needle bar, and this block operates within a stationary vertical guide 16. It might be stated at this point that when the roller 68 engages the circularly curved face 63 of the disk 62, that the needle bar is held or locked in the raised position, and when the roller trips oil' of the`point 64, the needle bar is free to reciprocate for its entire stroke, until again picked up by the point 65 of the hook 66. 'I'he recess 64' is provided so that the roller 68 may move therein during the reciprocation of the needle bar, so that the reciproeating movement will not be interfered with The downward movement of the needle bar is limited by the position of the sleeve 34 and the lower end of the guide 16. The disk 62 turns in the direction of the arrow and when point 65 reaches the raised position, roller 68 is elevated, so that point 65 passes beneath the roller.

Means are arranged beneath the base 24 for coaction with the needle, for holding and cutting the loops to produce the tufts. This means comprises a stationary arm or bracket 1|, upon which is suitably pivoted at 12, a vertically swinging arm 13 arranged to swing parallel with the feeding movement of the work. This arm is arranged near and upon one side of the needle, and carries a generally horizontal hook or looper 14, rigidly connected therewith. This hook or looper has a down turned bill 15', and the hook or looper moves across the path of travel of the needle,

upon one side of the needle, to enter the formed loop, and to hold the loop against upward movement when the needle rises. The hook or looper 14 is directly ymounted upon a head or plate 15, which is rigidly attached to the swinging arm 13. A vertically movable reciprocatory blade 16 is slidably mounted within a groove 11, formed inthe head 15, and this blade has an inclined cutting edge 16 at its top to coact with the longitudinal edge of the hook 14, to cut the loop or loops accumulated thereon. The arrangement and operation of the blade and hook are somewhat similar to the corresponding arrangement in my Patent 2,038,923. When the needle descends and at about the time the same starts to rise, the hook moves forward to enter the loop. When the needle rises, the hook moves rearwardly, and the blade 16 rises to cut the loop. The blade-16 is so adjusted that the last loop remains unsevered on the hook, when the needle rises. The operating means for the blade comprises a lever 18', having a forked end which straddles the swinging arm 13, and 1's pivoted thereto at 18. The sides 86 of the forked lever are in turn forked to provide notches 8|, receiving rollers 82, pivoted upon the lower end of the reciprocating blade 16. The lever 18 is bent or extended downwardly and its free end engages a stiff leaf spring 83, which is attached to the arm 13, at 84. The spring 83 acts upon the lever 18 to raise its free end, whereby its forked end is moved downwardly and the blade 16 lowered. The lever 18' is moved in an opposite direction to raise the blade, by a crank 85, depending from the rock shaft 46, and engaging a relatively large fiat head 86, carried by a bolt 81 adjustably mounted upon the lever 18' and adapted to be locked in adjustment by a nut 88. The pivoted arm 13 carriesa roller 88, operating within a fork 96, depending from and rigidly secured to the dog carrying link 42. The pivoted arm 18 .complete the third cycle ator by the action of the feed dog 4I. The fabric` is fed a distance of one stitch upon each cycle,

of operation of the needle. The tufting yarn or thread 21 runs free or without tension. This is important in the operation of the machine, for

if tension is applied to the tufting thread or yarn, the thread would be pulled from the eye of the needle, when the needle descended. Where the tufting yarny or thread is fed without tension, there is suiiicient frlctional engagement between this thread or yarn and the wall of the eye of the needle so that the tufting thread is not pulled out of the same. In the starting of the operation, the needle 28 isin the raised position, Figure 1, and the roller 68 is engaging the circularly curved edge face 63, adjacent to the point 64. The disk 62 is travelling in the direction of the arrow, Fig-- ure 2, and when the'roller 63 passes off of the point 64, it does not immediately descend, as the link 33 is then in the raised position, but the further turning movement of the driving shaft 30 lowers the link 33 and the spring 36 then causes the needle bar and needle to travel downwardly. The needle is shown in the raised starting position in Figure 5, and at the end of the lowered position in Flgure- 6. When the needle has reached the lowered position, the tufting thread or yarn 21 has been forced through the fabric, producing a loop 9| upon the lower side ofthe fabric 92. This loop includes a leading side 93 and a trailing side 94, the work being fed in-the direction of the arrow. 'Ihe free end of lthe leading side 93 is held within the fabric 92, as shown in' Figures 6 and '1. At about the time that the needle" 26 reaches the lowermost position, the hook 14 moves across the path of travel of the needle and enters the loop to receive th`e same thereon. 'I'his is shown in Figure 7. The needle 26 now moves upwardly until itvagain assumes the uppermost position, Figure 8, and the rst cycle of operation of the needle is completed'. When the needlemoves upwardly, the hook 14 engaging the loop 9|, exerts a pull upon vthe loop and the free end of the leading side 93 of the loop is pulled out of the fabric 92, and the thread pulled upwardly to a certain extent with the nee-- dle, the needle slipping on the thread to a certain extent. As a result of this action, there is left only one strand which may be designated by the numeral 94', and this strand will be of substantially the same length of the succeeding loops to be produced, Figure 8. The strand 94 will passo' Vof the hook 14` and there will be no c utting action". The first cycle of'operation of the i needle being completed, the second cycle is started and the needle moves downwardly and forces the thread through the fabric, Figure 9, 'to produce the loop 9 la, and about the time the needle reaches the lowermost position, the hook 14 enters the loop to receive the loop thereon, and 1,0. The needle then moves upwardly and the second cycle is completed, Figure 11. The loop ha remainson the hook, but is not cut when the blade 16 moves upwardly upon this cycle.

The needle now moves downwardly to producev another loop which is caught on the hook and retained thereon as the needle moves upwardly to of operation, and the Vwork is fed forwardly another stitch. This feed ing movement of the work now brings the loop 9 I a Figures 9 into the contracted portion'of the cutter and the upward movement of the blade 16 will now cut the loop 9 la, but the loop 9|b vis not cut, the-last loop remaining uncut on now starts on its downward stroke and4 produces a loop 9Ic, which is caught on the hookand the needle travels upwardly to complete the fourth cycle, and the loop 9Ib is fed' forward another stitch and is cut by the blade upon the upward movement of the needle, while vloop 9Ic is not cut. The needle now moves downwardly and produces a loop Bld which is caught on the hook and thev needle moves upwardly to complete the fifth cycle, and .is then lockedin the raised position as the roller 68 will be caught on the point 65 and will now engage the circularly curved edge surface 83. When the needle moved up to -complete the fth cycle, the work was advanced anotherI stitch and loop 9lc cut,while loop Qld remained uncut. The machine ycontinues-to operate, and `the link 33 will move up and down to complete nine cycles while the needle bar and needle are stationary. Upon the completion of the first cycle of the link 33, with the needle raised and stationary, the work has been advanced to the position shown in Figure 13and the blade has cut the loop Qld., 'I'his leaves the trailing side 9|e in the fabric, and as 'the work continues to feed, the side 9 le is pulled out of the fabric and before or at the time that the link 33 has completed its Vlast of the nine cycles, and side QIe-is out of the fabric and the needle .and arm assume the position shown in Figure 5, whereby the entire cycle of operation has been'completed. The further operation of the machine will again produce live cycles of the operation of the needle to produce' cio/sed ends Blf appearing on the top of the fabric,

as passed through the machine.' Particular attention is called to the fact that there is no connecting yarn-or loops spanning the spaces be`A the hook. The needle" tween the spaced groups of loops,as the yarn is A pulledoutiof the fabric at the beginning and at the end of the formation of each group of loops.

` It is to be understood that the form of my in-` vention herewith shown and described is tobe .taken as'a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size'and arrangement of4 parts may be resorted to, and .that the o rder of the steps ofv changed, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoin'ed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Y 1. In'a machine for producingl tufts 'upon' a fabric, a reciprocating needlel bar, a needle carried thereby to'force the thread through the fabric and produce loops, path of travel of the needle bar to receive the loops thereon, means to cut theloops upon. lthe looper, a spring to move the needle bar downwardly, a sleeve slidably mounted upon the needle the method maybe a looper movable across the bar and serving to raise the needle bar, 'means to reciprocate the sleeve, a holding element connected with the needle bar, a. rotatable disk for coaction with the holding element .and vhaving a part to engage with the holding. element for retaining the needle bar raised and a cut away part to permit ofthe downward movement of the needle, means to rotate the disk, and work feed- *ing means to advance the fabric. l

2. In a machine for producing tufts upon a fabric, a reciprocating needle bar, a needle carried thereby to force the thread through the fabric and produce loops, a looper movable across the path of travel of the needle bar toy receive the loops thereon, means to cut the loops upon the looper, a spring to move the needle lbar downwardly, a sleeve slidably mounted upon the needle bar and serving to raise the needle bar, a driving shaft, means operated by the driving shaft to reciprocate the sleeve, a rotatable disk arranged near the needle bar and having a circularly lcurved face and a cut away portion, a holding element secured to the needle bar and adapted to engage said face, meansto rotate the disk, and work feeding means to advance the fabric.

3. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle, a looper movable across the path of .travel of the needle, a reciprocatory blade to travel with the looper in one direction and movable toward and from the looper, a pivoted lever connected with the blade to reciprocate the same, a movable member to positively depres's one end ofthe lever,

and a spring to raise such end of the lever.

4. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle, a swinging arm, a looper carried by the swinging arm to move across the path of travel of the needle, a movable blade shiftable toward and from the looper, a lever pivoted upon the arm and connected with the blade, a spring to move the lever in one direction, and means to positively move the lever in the opposite direction.

5. In a tufting machine, a generally vertical reciprocatory needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a generally horizontal driving shaft, means connected with the driving shaft and capable of raising the needle bar, means to lower the needle bar, a generally horizontal rotatable shaft-ar ranged near the upper end of the needle bar, a control element carried by the generally horizontal rotatable shaft, an element secured to the upper. end of the needle bar and engaging and disengaging the control element and serving to hold the needle bar in the raised' position when it engages the control element, means coacting with the' needle to produce loops, and means to sever the loops to produce tufts.

6. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle bar, a needle carried thereby, a driving shaft, an element movable longitudinally of the needle bar and adapted to raise th'e same, a spring to lower the needle bar, means connecting the movable element with the driving shaft, a rotatable shaft. a control element driven by the rotatable shaft, an element secured to the needle bar to engage and disengage the control element, means to coact with the needle to produce tufts.

7. In a tufting machine, a disk having a circularly curved edge and a circumferentially extending recess, means to rotate the disk, a reciprocatory needle bar, a needle' carried by the bar, an element carried by the needle bar to engage and disengage the curved edge of the disk, means capable of raising the needle bar, and means -to lower the needle bar when the element disengages the disk.

8. A tufting machine for producing spaced tufts upon a fabric, comprising a base, a stock mounted upon the base and carrying an arm, a head carried by the arm, a reciprocatory needle bar operating within the head and having a needle movable therewith at all times during the movement of the needle bar, a spring surrounding the needle bar within the head and acting against a stationary Dart of the head and serving to move the needle downwardly, a stop element carried by the needle bar, a collar arranged within the head and slidably mounted upon the needle bar beneath the stop element, work feed means, means to hold the needle bar elevated and against downward movement in opposition to the spring during the operation of the work feed means to feed the work, means to reciprocate the collar, a reciprocatory looper to enter the loop produced by the needle, and means to sever the loop.

9. A tufting machine for producing spaced tufts upon a fabric, a base, a stock mounted upon the base and carrying an arm, a head carried by the arm, a reciprocatory needle bar operating within the head, a. needle secured to the needle bar to reciprocate therewith, a spring serving to move the needle bar downwardly and acting against a stationary part of the head, a stop element carried by the needle bar, a collar slidably mounted upon the needlebar beneath the stop element, work feed means, means to hold the needle bar in the raised position with the needle out of contact-with the fabric and against the action of the spring and during the operation of the work feed means to feed the work, a reciprocatory looper to enter the loop produced by the needle, and mean to sever the loop.

10. A tufting machine for producing spaced tufts upon a fabric, a support, a reciprocatory needle bar carried by the support, a-needle secured to the needle bar to reciprocate therewith at all times during the sewing action, a spring serving to move the needle bar downwardly and engaging a stationary part of the support, a stop element carried by the needle bar, a collar slidably mounted upon the needle bar beneath the stop element, work feed means, means to hold the needle bar in the raised position with the needle out of contact with the fabric and against the action of the spring, means to reciprocate the collar, a reciprocatory' looper to enter the loop formed by the needle, and means to sever the loop.

l1. A tufting machine for producing spaced tufts upon a fabric, abase, a stock mounted upon the base and having an arm, a hollow head carried by the arm, a reciprocatory needle bar operating within the hollow head, a needle secured to the needle bar, a ring arranged within the hollow head and clamped to the needle bar, a compressible coil spring surrounding the needle bar within the head and engaging at its lower end with the ring and at its upper end with the head, a sleeve arranged within the hollow head and slidably mounted upon the needle bar and adapted to engage with the ring to raise the needle bar, a drive shaft carried by the arm, a crank disc carried by the drive shaft, a link connecting the crank disc and sleeve, means to hold the needle bar raised during the operation of the work feed means to feed the work, a reciprocatory looper to enter the loop formed by the needle, and means to sever the loop.

V ROBERT H. BRADWELL. 

